Ford News
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Fresh from a trip to number two on Europe's sales charts and a journey across the Atlantic Ocean, Ford's new Fiesta hatch has begun arriving on American shores. One-hundred forty of the cars made the trip over from the factory in Cologne, Germany. Ford's Fiesta Movement program is an experiment where 100 young 'trendsetters' chosen from a list of 3,300 applicants will be given the hatchback for six months to share their experiences online through social media sites such as Facebook, Flickr and YouTube to build buzz and anticipation for the vehicle’s North American launch early next...
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Spy shots: First test-mules for Ford’s global Focus?In Europe, the Ford Focus is an affordable, well-engineered and stylish small car available in hatch, sedan, wagon and convertible bodystyles. The car is also available with a number of options, including dual-clutch transmissions, flex-fuel engines, a folding hard top roof (convertible models...
Jeremy Weber -
Ford cuts Mulally's pay package 37%, but still using private jetsThere's been a lot of public and media outcry over the big salaries and swank travel and accommodations of Ford's top men, especially with the ready contrast of General Motors' Rick Wagoner and Chrysler's Bob Nardelli, both taking commercial flights and $1 salaries. But there's a side to the story...
Ralph Hanson -
American engineers will develop Ford’s global midsize platformFord’s midsize Fusion sedan and its associated Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ cousins were just updated for the 2010 model year but details of the next-generation model, due in 2012, have already surfaced. While the current car is based on the CD3 platform from the Mazda6, the next Fusion will...
Kenneth Hall -
Red Dot design awards winners revealed for 2009Innovative and interesting designs are rewarded each year with a 'red dot', from world renowned design institution, the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen, one of Europe's oldest and most highly reputed design centers. This year a number of interesting entries in the automobile category came away...
Kenneth Hall -
Lincoln MKZ pricing starts at $34,965Rounding out Ford’s trio of updated mid-size sedans at last year’s Los Angeles Auto Show was the new Lincoln MKZ, which like its Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan siblings has received a new face, restyled interior, and more standard features for the 2010. Ford has revealed pricing for the...
Jeremy Weber -
Ethanol is a hot topic among biofuels advocates - and opponents - and green-car fiends alike, but it has a long tradition as a performance fuel as well. Lexmaul taps into that tradition with their latest Vectra, converting the car to E85 flex-fuel capability for extra performance. The CO2 savings doesn't hurt in carbon-conscious Europe either, but with up to 270hp (201kW) and 243lb-ft (330Nm) of torque on tap, you're not thinking 'green' you're thinking 'fun'. That's a big improvement over the stock Vectra's 175hp (130kW) as well. The conversion kit is included in Lexmaul's 'Stage 1' program...
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2010 GT500 joins two Mustang Concepts on block at Barrett-JacksonThe facelifted and sleeker 2010 Ford Mustang is the talk of the web - at least when they're not talking about the new Camaro, but the pair of concepts that kicked off the previous generation of Mustangs - both coupe and convertible - will be rolling onto the auction ramp at the next Barrett-Jackson...
Ralph Hanson -
Ford In-House Tuner Mountune Works Over The FiestaMost Blue Oval fans in the U.S. wouldn’t recognize the name Mountune, but over in the U.K. the automotive engineering firm has close links with Ford, especially for the company’s racing programs, and is regarded as its official in-house tuner. Not surprisingly, Mountune was one of the...
Kenneth Hall -
Ford, Chrysler say GM should get more out of CAWFord is projecting the strongest image of the Detroit 3 at the moment due to its refusal to seek government loans, but it says the deal General Motors and the CAW reached won't be good enough to keep Ford competitive in Canada. GM, on the other hand, seems pleased with its deal, and has announced...
Ralph Hanson -
GM dealers not ordering new cars due to uncertain brand futuresIn what is set to become a terrible domino effect, lagging demand for new cars and an uncertain future at Hummer, Saturn and Saab dealerships is leading to an inventory pile up. That, in turn, means dealers are ordering no new cars, driving General Motors' production schedule even further out of...
Ralph Hanson -
Ford planning Tri-Fuel Mondeo capable of running on petrol, ethanol and LPGFord of Europe will be expanding its flex-fuel vehicle range with the addition of a new variant of the Mondeo capable of running on three different types of fuel. Scheduled to make its debut later this month at the Leipzig Motor Show, the new tri-fuel Mondeo will be able to use petrol, ethanol, or...
Kenneth Hall -
About two years ago a Texas-based custom car manufacturer by the name of Unique Performance was found to be guilty of ‘title washing’ their cars, which eventually saw the owners of the operation arrested and charged and the business shutdown. Unfortunately for the scores of customers around the country, some of which had paid up to $250,000, the scandal meant none of the cars could be completed and most of the customers were left high and dry. The big ticket item built by Unique Performance was a replica version of the Shelby GT500 Eleanor Ford Mustang, which the company was...
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Ford and UAW deal could save $500 million annuallyTaking care of its retirees is one of the things the American auto industry prides itself on, and for good reason. But it's also one of the things that are making it hard to compete with foreign carmakers - the expenses are getting out of control. To help keep both Ford and the UAW operating in the...
Ralph Hanson -
Ford builds 100,000th hybrid SUV, reaffirms electric futureWhen it comes to hybrids, it’s usually Toyota and Honda that get all the good press but American carmakers are just as active in the segment though their efforts mostly go unnoticed. Not this time, however, as Ford wants everyone to know that it has produced its 100,000th hybrid SUV. The...
Ralph Hanson -
Report: Chinese government gives Chery Auto approval for Volvo acquisitionFord is having trouble offloading its failing Volvo subsidiary but the company is determined to sell it and has already started approaching potential buyers in spite of the tough economic conditions. The Blue Oval has been in talks with a number of potential suitors in the recent past, and the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
AutoNation CEO says he has 600,000 hybrids sitting on lots across AmericaPain at the pump is a thankfully remote sensation for most Americans these days. Just last summer we were all hurting everytime we had to go somewhere, to the point where we traveled 30 billion fewer miles than the year before. But the absence of pain at the pump means we don't have much in the way...
Ralph Hanson -
Ford boosts safety of Escape SUV for 2010 model yearBeating Toyota and Honda at their own game is no easy thing, but Ford's done it with the Escape, taking top rankings in safety and fuel efficiency against the RAV-4 and CR-V. For 2010, Ford's taking steps to help expand that lead by adding five new safety features to the Escape. Keeping teens from...
Ralph Hanson -
The times, they are a changin'. Carmakers that had seemed bulletproof, or at least too big to fail, are teetering on the brink of insolvency. Government regulations and stipulations on loan money are cinching down emissions and efficiency requirements. And tax incentives are spurring development of high-tech plug-in hybrids. But that's just the tip of the iceberg, according to Ford CEO Alan Mulally. "In 10 years, 12 years, you are going to see a major portion of our portfolio move to electric vehicles," he said in front of a gathering at the Wall Street Journal's ECO:nomics conference in...
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In Depth: Ford's RevoKnuckle Suspension And Quaife LSD For The Focus RSAsk any racing fan what's the best drivetrain layout for speed and you're sure to get one of two answers: rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Front-engine, mid-engine or rear-engine, all will agree that front-wheel drive is wrong-wheel drive. But Ford set out to design the all-new Focus RS as a...
Nelson Ireson -
Chrysler incentives cost a massive $5,566 per car in FebruaryPeople aren't buying new cars. It's really that simple in a lot of ways; the economy is down, the future is uncertain and no one wants to bet their house that they'll still have a job in six months. So Chrysler has been going wild with incentives to try to prop up sales in a market that just...
Nelson Ireson -
World's longest drift record set in nearly stock Mustang GTImagine burning rubber, sideways, for almost 1.2 miles, and you'll know what it's like to be Vaughn Gittin, Jr. He hopped into a 'nearly stock' 2010 Ford Mustang GT and slid the muscle car 6,285 feet to set an unofficial new world record. A bit of criticism of the previous record holder's 'big...
Ralph Hanson -
U.S. sale of Iosis Max could be in the cardsBringing European products to the U.S. is a core part of Ford's North American restructuring plan - and that means hot new models like the Kuga, B-Max and Fiesta. It could also mean the next-generation production car based on the Iosis Max concept is hitting American streets sometime in 2011 too...
Kenneth Hall -
Ford previews next-gen Focus with new Iosis Max conceptGoing global with its products is the new theme at Ford, and the Focus is no exception, so American hatch fans can feel free to get excited: the new Iosis Max concept previews the next-gen car to be built right here in the U.S. The Wayne plant in suburban Detroit and the Louisville plant in...
Ralph Hanson